India to observe 2015-2016 as Water Conservation Year: Uma Bharti

The year 2015-16 will be observed as water conservation year and a public movement will be launched during the year to conserve the precious resource, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Minister Uma Bharti said on Wednesday.

The minister said the cooperation of state governments, NGOs, civil society, youth and retired personnel will be taken in this task.

She said, public movement has become a necessity for conservation of water and river in the country as it is an important element of development and at some places the sacred water of the River Ganga is not even fit for consumption by animals.

Referring to the apprehensions raised by some sections on the viability of inter-linking of rivers in the country, Bharti said, "we will ensure that environment, aqua life of rivers and eco-balance is not disturbed in the process."

She said her government is committed to the inter-linking of rivers as it will ensure equitable distribution of river water in the country and proposes to fulfill this task within ten years.

The minister also referred to the criticisms made in a section of the media about the efforts to locate the extinct Saraswati River and said that there is no religious feeling behind this. In fact, this will help us to locate the water reservoirs en-route which can be utilized for irrigation, the Minister added.

Expressing concern over the pollution in river Yamuna in Delhi, the Minister said her Ministry will give full cooperation to Government of NCT Delhi in making Yamuna pollution free. She informed that she will be taking a meeting in this regard within a day or two.

Referring to the Ganga Rejuvenation Programme, the minister said whole country is united on this issue. She said Government will ensure that Ganga is pollution free and flows uninterrupted. She said "We will ensure that within a period of three years Ganga is free of most of its pollution and at least on stream of Ganga flows uninterrupted."

The minister appealed to every section of the society to join this movement.